But it's his own backyard where he serves the juiciest slabs of meat, including his personal summer favorite: grilled Old Bay chicken thighs. Mashable caught up with Symon to talk grills, barbecue sauce and his all-time favorite burger toppings. Here's what we learned:

1. Know the difference between barbecuing and grilling.

As Symon put it: "Barbecuing is technically low and slow, and grilling is high and quick." When grilling, he recommends starting the meat on a very high heat to give it that "wonderful char" before finishing it on a low heat, so it doesn't burn or dry out. When barbecuing, keep the meat on a low heat, about 225 degrees, until it's tender.

2. Never forget to season the meat.

Symon suggests seasoning your meat liberally with salt and pepper before grilling. His current favorite seasoning is Old Bay herb and spice mix on chicken thighs.

"I just take the chicken and coat it pretty liberally in Old Bay spices and a little bit of olive oil, let it sit for a couple of hours, then put it on the grill and serve that with a really great horseradish-y coleslaw and maybe some German style potato salad," he said.

3. Let the meat come to room temperature before cooking it.

And allow it to rest when it's finished. Otherwise, the juices will run and the meat will become dry.

4. Folks without outdoor grills can grill too.

Symon recommends using a cast iron skillet to grill meats indoors, but was quick to admit that grilling outdoors will yield better results.

"You're gonna get a much better char on the meat — you'll get better caramelization," he said.

5. Consider swapping charcoal for wood.

"When I'm cooking outdoors I like using applewood or any smoked wood," Symon said. "It's a milder flavor, very subtle, and it doesn't overpower the meat."

6. Vary your style of grill to kick up your outdoor cooking skills.

For advanced grillers used to a gas grill, Symon suggests switching to a charcoal or wood grill. He also suggests adding an offset smoker for cooks looking to get into the low and slow process of barbecuing something like a 14-hour brisket or a 12-hour pork butt.

7. Choose inexpensive cuts of meat to barbecue.

Whenever cooks go low and slow, they'll want heartier meats like brisket, pork butt or pork belly. Symon cooks his meats at about 225 degrees, basting them once every hour or so with a vinegar-mustard baste until done. After letting the meat rest, he serves it on potato rolls with coleslaw.

9. Rethink the way you make your barbecue sauce.

While many barbecue sauces call for a ketchup base, Symon prefers mustard for his sauce.

"We actually do what we call a 'Cleveland Barbecue Sauce' which is a beer vinegar ... a teaspoon or two of sweet Ohio maple syrup and ball park mustard, and some chilies depending on how much heat you want," he said. "So, it's very vinegary, touch of sweet, touch of heat and a good big blast of mustard."

Symon cooks it quickly to keep it loose, rather than thick like a traditional barbecue sauce. "It kinda clings to the meat a little bit, but really allows you to enjoy the meat that you're serving," he added.

While Symon said he always likes beer with his outdoor cooking, he's expanded his choice of beverage to include a cocktail of ginger beer and bourbon with a squeeze of lime.

11. Don't be afraid to grill on a budget.

For families who want to host barbecues on a budget, Symon suggests that hosts provide the proteins and give guests a list of sides to bring. He also suggests tailoring menus to meats on sale at the local supermarket. Rather than heading to the grocery store in search of boneless, skinless chicken, head to the store with an open mind.

"Maybe chicken thighs are on sale that day, or legs or wings," he said. "Same thing with beef and so forth. It's ok to buy some different cuts when the savings could be substantial."

In honor of the all-American cookout, this summer Symon partnered with the food blog Serious Eats to celebrate home grilling and barbecuing. Grillers who share their cooking photos on social media using the hashtag #123BBQ could have their images published on the blog. Symon also partnered with Bank of America to promote its cash rewards credit card.

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